Chapter 11

Concerning item #5: The Key Around His Neck 5 (continued)

-

Spot took up his cane the next morning and went for a walk. There was no woman in his bed this day. Since he talked to Cat last night, something happened to him. He lost his desire for another woman. Even his boys were starting to notice. He was too deep in thought, even for business as usual.

He had to see her again; he couldn't wait for this afternoon. He didn't even stop to buy papes, just went straight to Manhattan.

Cat. In so few words she had done so much to his mind.

He hadn't stopped thinking about her, and every word she had said. He wondered about all the what-ifs. What if Jack hadn't seen her first? What if he had fell for her back when they lived at the saloon? It was a happy reverie, one he enjoyed all the way to Cat's place.

When Spot reached her corner, he turned to head for the front door, then doubled back and hid behind the wall. Jack was already making his way over, while Cat waited for him on the steps.

"Hey there, beautiful," Jack said. Spot clenched the gold tip of his cane, and for some odd reason hated Jack at that moment.

"Jack, you're late," she said. "I was just about to go in."

"I know, darlin', I'm sorry about that. The Delancey broddah's were givin' me a lotta troubles today."

"It's alright."

"Youse still glad to see me, right?"

She nodded with a shaky smile. Jack smiled in return, and slipped his hands around her waist. Spot ground his teeth.

"Ya miss me?" Jack said, fishing for reassurance.

"Of course," she replied.

"That's my goil."

Jack leaned his forehead to hers.

"I have to go," Cat said quietly. "I'll see you this time tomorrow, yes?"

"Sure thing," Jack promised.

She broke off from him and started up the stairs.

"Hey…" Jack said, not letting go of her hand. He playfully jerked her back, and pressed his mouth to hers. She sank into him, sighing happily, and they stayed that way for an eternity, it seemed.

Spot's eyes grew wide, and he pulled his gaze away. Not serious… who was he kidding? He could have kicked himself. He never felt so stupid. She was off limits, and that was that. She was Jack's girl. Jack was his best friend. He was worth more to Spot than any stupid girl. Spot had to swear Cat off forever.
Too bad it was easier said than done.

-

Jack headed for the distribution office after visiting Cat, smiling and feeling lightheaded. Today was going to be a good day. He could feel it. There was something in the air.

"Jack!" Pie-Eater came running. He was panting, looking stressed. "God, where have you been?"

"Whatsa mattah?"

"It's Pulitzer. Ya gotta come and see!"

Jack ran with Pie-Eater through gates and straight to the others, who were gathered around looking glum.

"What's with all the frowns on your faces for?"

"They jacked up the price," Kid Blink explained. "Ya heah that, Jack? Ten cents a hundred! Ya know, its bad enough that we gotta eat what we don't sell, now they jack up the price! Can ya believe that?"

"This'll bust me," Skittery complained. "I'm barely makin' a livin' right now."

"I'll be back sleepin' on the streets," Boots chimed in.

"It don't make no sense," Mush said to Crutchy. "I mean, all the money Pulitzer's makin', why would he gouge us?"

"Because he's a tightwad, that's why," Racetrack explained. The others seemed to agree.

"Pipe down," Jack commanded. "It's just a gag."

Man, he wished he could believe his own words. He went up to Mr. Wisely.

"So, why the jack up, Weasel?"

"Why not?" he said in his scummy way. He licked his dirty finger and held it up in the air to test the winds.

"It's a nice day," he said with a smile. Jack had enough of him, and turned to go.

"Why don'tcha ask Mr. Pulitzer?" Weasel called after him.

"They can't to this to me, Jack," Kid Blink whispered.

Jack's heart went out to his friends. He knew that if they went along with this, half of them would starve sooner of later.

"They can do whatever they want," Race retorted grudgingly. "It's their stinkin' paper."

Like Racetrack. He gambled every extra cent he had. He had nothing saved to eat with now, or pay lodging. He lived on the dime a day he made. Now he'd only have a nickel. He was already in so much debt as it was, with how much he gambled…

Jack sighed and sat down next to Boots.

"It ain't fair," Boots said to him. "We got no rights at all."
And Boots. He wasn't lying when he said he be back on the streets. He wouldn't be able to pay lodging either.

"Come on, it's a rigged deck," Racetrack said in anger, like he couldn't accept it either. "They got all the marbles."

"Jack," Mush said convincingly. "We got no choice, so why don't we get our lousy papes while they still got some, eh?

"No!" Jack said, not wanting to accept it all just yet. "Nobody's goin' anywhere. They can't get away with this!"

"We gotta eat, Jack!" Race argued. Soon everyone was arguing amongst themselves.

"Give him some room, clear out. Give him some room!" little Les said, parting through the small crowd. "Let him think."

They sat for a moment in suspense. Kid Blink handed Jack a cigarette to help. He took it gladly, and just thought.

-

"Spot!" a little kid ran up to Spot in a hurry. Spot had come to visit the specifically.

"Heya, Clickside!" Spot replied happily. "What's the update?"

"I spied on the goil like youse told me to."

Spot shushed him, looking around. Jack's kids lived around here, and who knew who was listening.

"Yeah, yeah, keep it down, kid. What about her?"

"A man came in this mornin'."

"Ya mean besides Jack?" Spot asked intently.

"Yeah. Big rich fellah. Says he's lookin' for a broad. So Ise go around back to heah from the kitchen windah--"

"Yeah?"

"And he tells the old broad he's lookin' for a fiancée! Ya know, that's a fancy word for--"

"Yeah, I know what it means," Spot said with annoyance. "What else?"

"So the ol' lady tells him about your lady… Cat."

"What'd he say to that?"

"Took one look at her and was hooked. Hittin' all ovah her and everythin'. Was disgustin'. I expect to be paid extra for that."

Spot frowned to himself at this news. She was getting engaged? But what about Jack? Spot gave Clickside an extra penny, snickering at the little kid's nerve talking this way to the prince of Brooklyn. Spot, figuring the child's report was finished, stood up to go. He had a lot to think about.

"Oh, and I talked to her," the kid added. Spot whirled around in alarm.

"To the goil? What'd I say about you doin' that? I said, 'don't do that', didn't I?"

"I know! But she asked if I was woikin' for ya."

"And you told her yes?"

"Well… yeah."

"Give me that back!" Spot said, snatching the extra penny back from Clickside's hand, and slapped him upside the head. "Whatsa mattah with youse?"

"She told me to tell youse somethin'."

"What?"

Clickside held out his hand. Spot sighed and put the penny back in it.

"Well," the kid said happily. "She wants to meet ya tomorrow night, and she says it's important and not to stand her up like ya did last time. And she told me to give ya this. She didn't say what it was for."

He handed Spot a silver key.

"A'right, a'right. Get outta heah."

Spot sat and thought for a while on all the boy had said. Why did Cat want to see Spot? Nothing made any sense, and it wouldn't until he asked her himself. What was with the key? Was she messing with his mind? No doubt he was going to lose this little thing. He headed back for the lodging house, and put it on his oak dresser.

Spot stared at it for a moment more, then left it behind.

-

"Cat, what is the matter with you?" Cat's schoolmate Molly said, many hours after Jack left. "You've been out of it all day."

Cat tried to stop grinning like a madman and collect herself.

"I just can't seem to focus today, Molly."

"She's daydreaming," another friend, named Florence, said. "About the boy."

Cat acted shocked at her friend's accusation.

"Honestly!" she said. "I am not daydreaming about boys."

"Then why can't you stop smiling?"

Cat threw her gaze to the floor. The other girls squealed, dropping whatever they were doing and crowding around her.

"Oh, the romance!"

"Tell us about him, Cat!"

"But boys are not allowed!"

"Oh, the scandal!"

"Stop, all of you!" Cat begged. "Please."

"Then tell us," Molly begged.

"I…" Cat paused. Then grinned again like a crazed idiot. "I haven't been able to stop thinking about him. He's so mysterious, so… handsome…"

"What does he look like?" a girl named Samantha insisted.

"Why, didn't you all see him?" Florence said as-a-matter-of-factly. "He just came to visit her this morning. Very dreamy. If I were you, I would have kissed him too…"

Cat bit her lip as the others squealed more at this juicy news.

"Oh…" Cat said, her brow furrowing. "You're talking about Jack…"

Florence seemed confused.

"Of course, Cat. Whom else would we be talking about?"

Cat chuckled in embarrassment.

"No one… of course…"

-

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